Knitted fabric and method



Sept- 30, 1941. w. SMITH, JR 2,257,719

` KNITTED FABRIC AND METHOD Filed Feb. 17, 1940 MEA/Taf.' f Mzamdfwmfz `fashioned knitting machine.

Patented Sept. 30, 1941 ICE KNITTED FABRIC AND MTHOD William L. Smith, Jr., to Hemphill Compa Pawtucket, R. I., assigner ny, Central Falls, R. I., a i.

corporation of Massachusetts Application February 17, 1940, Serial No. 319,451

Claims.

This case involves an invention in knitted fabrics and the method of making the same. The fabric is of a type adapted for use in hosiery, for example, and especially in ladies full length stockings wherein an elastic section is desired at the knee portion. The fabric isso knitted as to present an attractive appearance and to impart to the fabric a relatively great degree of lengthwise stretch.

In the figures of drawing:

Fig. lisa conventional showing of a section of fabric, knitted loops being shown greatly enlarged; E

Fig. 2 is a conventional view but showing more or lessthe actual characteristics of the fabric when released from the machine and after the elastic has contracted in contrast to Fig. l which shows the theoretical structure of the fabric;

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing a stocking to which the invention has been applied.

Knittedfabric normally has a relatively great degree of stretch laterally but is not nearly so extensible along the length or longitudinal direction of the wales. In knitted hosiery, especially full length stockings for ladies, this characteristic is quite noticeable in that runs are commonly experienced at the knee section of the stocking due to lack of elasticity in a lengthwise direction. Certain improvements have been made heretofore in which elastic yarn is inserted at a certain part of the knee section, preferably above the same, this elastic section being knitted so as to stretch to a considerable extent walewise of the fabric.

The fabric herein illustrated is preferably knitted on a circular lndependent needle type machine, although the same may be produced on other machines'such as the well-known full- Elastic yarn and non-elastic yarn are combined in such a way that a relativelv great amount of elasticity results in a direction lengthwise of the fabric and also, extensibility is not diminished in a lateral direction, One characteristic of many elastic sections similarly employedis that they tend to distort or curl and are not pleasing in appearance, especially' when lying on the counter. Diftremely extensible in either direction. Intermediate these so-called ribbed panels are what are to be herein termed as plain knit panels. these also having a marked degree of extensibility in either direction, but especially in a lengthwise direction. One result is that an] extremely extensible fabric is forthcoming without sacrilcing appearance, butin fact, increasing the saleability of the article due to a pleasing effect gained by the adjacent vertical panels of differently knitted construction.

Referring to Fig. 1, an elastic yarn I is alternately knitted with a non-elastic yarn 2. The elastic yarn I is incorporated at one course such as the course A while the non-elastic yarn is incorporated at the next course B, and so on. 'I'he *elastic yarn is taken Within the hooks of all needles, and throughout the vertical panels which simulate ribfabric in appearance, is knitted in wales such as the Wale 3, but is tucked in wales such as the wales 4 and 5. That is, the stitches in wales such as the wales 3 are immediately knitted off when the yarn 2 is taken at the next feeding point. That yarn 2 is taken in the hooks of all needles and is immediately knitted in the wales` 3. In the hooks of needles knitting in wales 4 and 5, loops of elastic yarnI I, previouslv drawn, are combined with loops of the non-elastic yarn 2 and both form what is generally known as a tuck stitch. In these so-called rib panels elastic and non-elastic yarn stitches are combined, the elastic being drawn through previously held loops of elastic and non-elastic yarns.

These vertically disposed panels of rib-like appearance may be of any desired width. In the particular example herein illustrated no full width panel of the sort is shown, but it has been found in actual practice that a panel nine wales 40 wide. that is, one constituted of five tucked wales ferent types of fabric are knitted in this elastic f section, that is, vertical sections adjacent one another are knitted according to a different method, these sectlonsfor panels being more or less equally spaced. The purpose in so doing is to create a ribbed effect-throughout narrow vertical panels which will resist any tendency of the fabric to curl or roll and which will also be eX- as 4 and 5 and four wales similar to those numbered 3 ands serves very effectively. Obviously, the relative Width of either tvpe of panel may be varied within limits depending upon the material, elasticity desired in different directions, and other considerations.

In the intermediate panels which we term for convenience, plain knitted, the elastic yarn vis merely drawn in all wales such as ythe wales 6. 'I and 8 and the non-elastic yarn 2 is similarly drawn and knitted in those same wales, the elastic appearing only in alternate courses such as A and the inelastic yarn inintermediate courses such as B. This gives a very extensible fabric in both directions, and although such fabric,.if

vknitted alone, would have a marked tendency to become distorted and to curl rather badly, the panels thus knitted are not of great enough width for thisto become noticeable since the straightening tendency of the so-called ribbed panels is controlling.

section of fabric I I has the so-called ribbed panels I2 and intermediate plain panels I3. Any number of these vertically arranged panels may be used and they may be of varying widths. Preferably, the best construction is one which gives a maximum of elasticity yet has enough Referring to Fig. 2 the fabric is illustratedl more or less as it appears when cast from the machine and after the elastic has contracted. In this figure similar yarns and wales are indicated by the same numerals as inserted in Fig. 1, also the letters indicate similar courses. It can be seen that in the wales 3, 6, 1, 8, etc., the elastic has contracted so that the individual loops drawn therefrom have straightened out almost entirely. In the wales such as II and' 5 the elastic contracts, but since these were tuck Wales and loops were extended lengthwise to a considerable extent, the contraction does no more than shorten the loops. Elastic is knitted through elastic in these and similar wales.

In the forms of the invention illustrated the elastic has been incorporated at a separate feed. This elastic may be incorporated along with a non-elastic yarn n such as a plating yarn. In

that event, the plating yarn and the yarn 2 will match so that the entire fabric will present a unitary appearance. Incorporation of such plating yarn will reduce the lengthwise elasticity of the fabric to some extent.

In knitting this fabric a two-feed machine is preferably to be employed. Of course, if desired, multiples of two feeds may be used. At one of the feeds the elastic will. be fed and needles will be divided or selected in such a way that the longitudinal panels may be knitted to include any desired number of wales of each type of fabric. For example, to knit the plain sections groups of sixadjacent needles may be raised to take the elastic yarn in their hooks and will be drawn down to knit that yarn. Those needles will have been previously raised sothat their latches cleared and so that the elastic will knit independently, complete elastic stitches resulting therefrom.

To knit the so-called rib panels vevery needle will be raised to clear its latch and to take elastic. The result is that at the auxiliary side, all

in knitting these panels, alternate needles are raised to clear latches while intermediate needles are not raised to that height, but only to a height suflicient to. take the non-elastic yarn. Thus all needles take yarn at this side of the machine, but do not knit off. The result is that in the wales 3, 6, etc., independent stitches of elastic are drawn at the auxiliary side and independent stitches of non-elastic at the main side. 4In the wales such as 4 and 5, elastic is drawn through previously held elastic and nonelastic yarn stitches, while at the main side nonelastic yarn is merely taken by needles in addition to an elastic yarn stitch they already held.

In Fig. 3 a circular type ladys stocking to which the invention is applied has been illustrated. 'I'his type of stocking has a leg 9 and a welt I0, the latter being of either single ply or double construction. Just below the welt and preferably inthe upper knee section is a portion of fabric II according to the. invention, this fabric giving to the stocking a much greater 'amount of stretch and thus lessening the tendency toward runs at the knee or welt areas. This ribbed area to prevent tendency to curl or toward unsightly appearance.

Slightyariations may be resorted to and are intended to be included within the present disclosure. The invention is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An elastic knee section for a stocking having incorporated therein elastic and non-elastic yarn, the elastic yarn being knitted at spaced courses and at certain vertically disposed, laterally spaced panels being alternately knitted independently in spaced wales, and in intermediate wales being formed into tucked stitches in conjunction with the non-elastic yarn, and at intermediate panels the elastic yarn being knitted independently in each of several adjacent wales.

2. In a knee section of a full-length, ladys stocking anelastic zone knitted from an elastic and a non-elastic yarn, the elastic yarn being incorporated primarily in alternate courses and the non-elastic yarn in intermediate courses, the elastic yarn being knitted in certain vertical, laterally spaced panels by forming independent stitches at alternate Wales and tucking the elastic with the non-elastic yarn at intermediate wales, and at intermediate panels, stitches of the elastic yarn knitted independently at each of the wales in said panels.

3. A method of knitting a section of fabric such as for a stretch zone at the knee of a stocking including the steps of knitting an elastic yarn in alternate courses and an inelastic yarn in intermediate courses and at spaced vertical panels drawing the elastic yarn into independent knitted stitches at alternate wales and at intermediate wales, tucking said yarn with stitches of the non-elastic yarn, and at Vintermediate panels, knitting each ofthe yarns independently in its own courses.

4. A knitted fabric having in combination elastic and inelastic yarns, the elastic yarn being knitted at spaced courses and at certain4 vertically disposed, laterally spaced panels, the said elastic and inelastic yarns being differently knitted in said panels and in some of said panels each of the yarns being drawn into plain knitted stitches thereby to appear as plain knitted fabric and in other spaced panels, the said elastic and inelastic yarns being knitted independently in some vwales and tucked in wales intermediate those Wales thereby to effect the appearance of rib fabric. f

5. A method of knitting an elastic fabric including the steps of feeding an elastic yarn and an inelastic yarn to knit in alternate courses, so knitting the said yarns that in laterally spaced, Vertical panels the elastic yarn is drawn into independently knitted stitches at spaced Wales, and at wales intermediate those spaced wales, drawing the elastic and inelastic yarns into tuck stitches to simulate a ribbed appearance, and at intermediate panels, knitting each of the yarns independently in their respective courses so that said panels appear as plain (not rib) fabric. A

WILLIAM L. SMITH, JR. 

